Drop steering-wheel for automobiles.



H. E. VAN NESS.

DROP STEERING WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATIGN FILED MAY 4, I916- Patented June 27, 1916.

HENRY E. VAN Mass, or ELMIRA, NEW 'YonK.

mor- STEERING-WHEEL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

' Application filed "May 4, 1916. Serial No. 95,424.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY E. VAN Nnss,

a citizen of the United States, and resident tion with the accompa-nylng drawings, in

of Elmira, Chemung county, State of New York, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Drop Steering-Wheels for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to steering wheels, particularly to steering Wheels which are designed to fold or drop. in order to provide,

when used in connection with automobiles,

additional room between the wheel and seat, to enable thedriver to more freely entera'nd leave his position.

It is the object of this invention to pro: vide a wheel o f this class which may be dropped quickly, which closely resembles the usual steering wheel inappearance, and which is of great simplicity and strength.

The invention will be fully disclosed in the following description, taken in connecw-hich: o

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of my improved wheel; Fig. .2 is a 'side' view of the same; Fig. 3 is a side viewflof the wheel in its folded position, part being broken away,

' 13' and 15 are transversely arranged hardened steel tubes 22. Each tube has within Fig. 4 is a section on the line H of Fig. 5; and Fig. 5 is a section on the line of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, 10. indicates a steering column, having rigidly mounted thereon the hub 11 of a steering wheel, which has .four

spokes and resembles closely the usual s'teer" ing wheel employed in automobiles. Three of the spokes 12, 13 and 14m integral with the hub 11, while the other spoke,;1ndi cated by 15, is hinged to the hub at 16. The

spokes are arranged at intervals of 90 around the hub so that they arein diametri cally opposed pairs. Pivotally mounted on the outer ends of spokes 12 and14, is the usual clrcular rim or handle .17 for manipulating the steering mechanism. This rim has two recesses 18 and 19 in its under portion, which recesses are adapted toreceive with a close fit the outer ends of the s okes 13 and 15, respectively. The spoke 13 being rigid with the'hub, acts as a. stop to limit the rotation of the rim on its pivots in one direction and serves as'a support for the side of the'wheel when the wheel is in its' normal operative position.

Thehinged spoke I5 constitutes in reality e prop which, whenin position with its end engaging the recess 19 in the rim, firmly supports the rim in its operative posltion. It is capable of being removed from this supporting position andfswung downwardly on its hinge to allow the ri-m to Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J une 27, 1916,

be tilted or rotated about its pivots to assume the folded position shown in Fig. 3. The recesses 18 and 19 preferably extend about one-half way from the inner to theouter side of the rim and about one-half" way from the bottom to the top, leaving the upper and outer surfaces of the rim contlnuous so as not to interfere with handling the same. The outer wall of the recess-19 serves as an abutment againstwhich the outer end of ,the prop-like spoke 15 is .adapted to bear to support the rim in its" normal position. "These recesses 18 and 19 are, preferably metal lined in, order that the rim, which may be of wood or composition,

may notbe worn in repeatedly changing the position of the wheel, and in'the side por-Q' tions of the metal lining are pairs ofopposed circular holes 20 and 21,-which' consti tute the socket members of a ball and socket latching means adapted to normall the ends-of the spokes 13 and '15- within the recesses. In the ends of the opposed spokes it at each end a steel ball 23 which normally projects for a shortidistance beyond-the end of thesleeve, being retained by the ends of the tubes which are swaged inward. The balls are yieldingly maintained inthese po latch sitions by coiled springs 24 located between them. In inserting the ends ofthe opposed 1 I linin of the recesses, thuslatching the blag sired to lower or dropithe rim, the first step taken-is to lower or depress the-outer end of the prop-like 'hin ed spoke 15'. The spo'lge (i aboutits hinge leana position I shown in Flgfi 3. 1

is lowered or rotate it 'oteupies the a I When'the spoke 15 has beenthus lowered the rim may be rotated on .itsaxis tothe folded position shown in Fig. 3 by merelyapplying sufficient pressure on the. rim to of the pivotal spokcs'radiating fromsaid hub, a rim p'ivotally mounted on two of said spokes, a stop. adapted to limit the rotation of said rim on' said pivots in one direction, and means i hub rigidly secured thereto,

for securing the rim in operative position comprising a spoke hinged to said hub and arranged to engage said rim on the side opposite said stop.

2. In a steering wheel, a steering column, a hub rigidl secured thereto, diametrically opposed spo res rigid with said hub, a rim pivotally mounted on said spokes, a stop adapted to limit the rotation of the rim on said pivots hinged to said hub and adapted to engage said rim to prevent'its folding or to be disengaged from said rim to allow it to fold about-said pivots.

3. In a steering wheel, a steering column, a opposed spokes in, a stop-adapted to spokes gaged from said recess in one direction, and a spoke rigid with said h ub, a rim pivotally mounted on said spokes and having a recess therelimit the rotation of said rim on said pivots in one direction, and means for. securing the rim in operative. position comprising a spoke hinged to said hub, and arranged to engage the recess in said hub on the side opposite said stop.

4. In'a steering column, a hub rigidly secured thereto, opposed spokes rigid with said hub, a rim 'pivotally mounted on said and having a recess adapted to limit the rotation of said rim on said pivots in one direction, means for securing the rim in operative position, comprising a spoke hinged to said hub and arranged to engage the recess in said hub, said hinged spoke being adapted to be disento allow the rotation of said rim about said pivots, in the other direction, and a spring latch adapted to latch said hinged spoke within said recess.

5. In a steering wheel, a steering column, a hub rigidly secured thereto, spokes rigid with said hub, a rim pivoted on two opposed spokes, a spoke hinged to said hub at a point therein, a stop below the plane of said wheel, its other end 7 being adapted to normally engage said run to support it in operative position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

HENRY E. VAN NESS. 

